Tonioli Music

Check out Jason's Blogspot at http://toniolimusic.blogspot.com/

Jason Tonioli (pronounced: toe-knee-oh-lee) was raised in Soda Spring

s, Idaho and Roy, Utah. He started piano lessons when he was in Kindergarten and enjoyed practicing for the first year. Throughout his school years he disliked practicing. (However he did enjoy the fact that girls like a guy who can play piano.) His piano skills are a product of excellent teachers and a mother who wouldn't let him quit. If it weren't for a mother who won the "piano war" with her son, this book would never have been written.

Jason always enjoyed playing piano as long as he could play what he wanted, the way he wanted. When practicing, he would often play part of what Mozart, Beethoven or Rachmaninoff had written and part what he made up while playing. His mother and teacher often looked down upon changing what was written and always told him that when he started writing his own music, he could write and play the way "he thought" it should be done.

Jason Tonioli, new-age piano composer, smiles while sitting at a piano.

Close up image of Jason Tonioli's hands while playing the piano.

Partly to prove to his mom and teachers that he could write music and play it the way he wanted, and partly because he enjoyed playing, he did start writing music and has grown to love piano. He is very grateful to a mother who wouldn't let him give up piano lessons.

~ A NOTE FROM THE COMPOSER FOR MOTHERS AND PIANO STUDENTS ~

“When you play the music in this book, have fun with it. If you don’t like the way a note sounds, go ahead and change it. Play it the way you think it should sound. I’m ok with that and promise not to come out of my grave to haunt you if you do. However, I do caution you to be careful when changing any dead composer’s music, likeBeethoven, Bach, Mozart, etc. They have been known to roll over in their graves and haunt anyone who changes their music.

“To any piano student who has wanted to quit lessons, (probably several of you), DON’T QUIT! You’ll regret it for the rest of your life. Your teacher and parents really do know what they are talking about when they tell you you’ll be glad you kept taking lessons. (Remember, this is coming from someone who told his mom he hated piano for years.) Stick it out and keep practicing. I promise you, you’ll be glad you did, and when you get older you’ll thank your parents and teacher for not letting you give up.”

Jason Tonioli, new-age piano composer, plays at the Peery Egyptian Theater in Ogden, Utah.